Thomas gilbbet



(NoModel.) K

T. GILBERT.

SIGHT POR FIRE ARMS.'

No. 267,418. lPatentcadNov. 14, 1882.

both eyes are kept open.

UNrrEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS GILBERT, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

vSIGHT FOR FIRE-ARMS.

SPECIFICATION 'forming part of Letters Patent No. 267,418, datedNovem-ber'lll, 1882.

Application filed June 28, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: y

Be it known that I, THOMAS GILBERT, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing at London, England, have. invented new and usefulImprovements in Sights for Small Fire- Arms, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an improved sight for small fire-arms, whichwill ai'ord great advantages in the use of rifles, shotguns, andrevolvers, moreV especially shotguns, when both eyes are kept open. Icall my improved sight for fire-arms a two-eyed sight.77 The two-eyedsystem has long been universally acknowled ged by practical Sportsmen asabsolutely necessary to attain a brilliant performance with the sportingshotgun, and has been strongly advocated in spite of the known fataldrawback-viz., that the left eye tends to misdirect the aim, and whichtendency all who use both eyes are more or less deluded by.

The object of this invention is to abolish the necessity of closingeither eye when shooting` by supplying a novel, simple, and efficientsight, which secures or confines the aiming-line of sight to the righteye absolutely when any gun with the ordinary-shaped stock is placed atthe right shoulder, and when either one or At the same time the visionof the left eye is in no way obstructed from seeing surrounding space,as when the usual sight is employed.

In order to enable my invention to be better understood, I will proceedto describe the same by reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 is a plan, Figs. 2 and 3 side elevations, and Fig.' 4 anend view, of a sight for lirearms constructed according to my invention.The se'veral figures are drawn about full size.

Theimproved sight is constructed of a strip of steel, gun-metal, orother suitable material, a,

of suitable length and of about the same height as the sight nowordinarily employed, and which can be fixed on the rib or barrel of thegun, rifle, or other lire-arm in the same place as the usual sight. Partof the, right-hand side of the sight, from about the point b toward thebreech end of the arm, is cut at an angle away from the sight of theleft eye. On this said angle or slanted part of the sight a number ofgradually-recedin g steps or notches,

c, are formed, one behind the other, preferably increasing or graduatedin length, that nearest the breech being the shortest. The ends of thesaid notches c, when the sight is attached to a gun or other fire-arm,will face and will present a solid substance distinct and attractive tothe right eye only, and will also have the appearance of the ordinarysight which the eye has hitherto always been accustomed to employ indirecting the aim. At the same time the left eye will be altogetherdebarred from any familiar attraction or sight of any sort, to induce itto attempt the duty which the right eye will correctly perform by theuse of my improved sight.

In the construction of this sight another important object has beenconsidered which has hitherto escaped the attention it deserved-viz.,the color of sights. The color of backgrounds against which Shotguns arebrought to bear isso varied that a sight should properly pos` sess twodistinct colors-such as black and a glancing silver-white-one or theotherofwhich will be instantly observed against any background uuder anyreflection of shade. Ithere-v fore make the notched part of the sightblack with a small piece, d, of silver or platinum on two or more of thenotches, and which pieces d serve to give awhite, glancingeftect,whereby the sight will presenta black appearance with a silvercenter visible only to the right eye when the gun is placed at the rightshoulder. This contrasting difference of appearance and effect, asviewed by the right and left eyes, respectively, forms the essentialfeature of the invention. The tops of the notches provided with thesilver or`A platinum are rounded, as V shown in Fig. 3, so that the saidsilver or platinum shall be entirely out of the sight of the left eye.

The improved sight can be applied to old as Well as toV new lire-arms,and is fixed in any suitable manner, such as by means of solder or pins.

I have described the sight as arranged for shooting from the rightshoulder; but it will be evident thatin cases where the gun is to betired from the left shoulder and left eye the notches et would be formedon the left-hand side ofthe sight instead of on the ri ght-hand side, ashereinbefore described.

IOO

It will also be evident that the pieces of platinum or silver may,whereeconomy is an object, be dispensed with.

The diagram at Fig. 5 will serve to illustrate the principle of myinvention. Let f represent a gunbarrel; a, the improved sight; t', theright eye, and lthe left eye, of the person firing. The dotted lineswill show that the right eye will see only the notched portion of thesight, and which will present the appearance of the ordinary sight,While the left eye, as shown by the dotted lines, Will take in the.Whole length of the left-hand side ot' the sight,

having receding steps or notches at one side thereof substantially atright angles to the axis of the bar, as set forth, and having a seriesof pieces of silver or platinum placed severally in some of the sidesteps or notches, as and for the purposes described.

3. A sight for fire-arms, consisting ot' a bar having receding steps ornotches c, of a dark color, at one side thereof, the steps beingsubstantially at right angles to the axis of the bar, as set forth, andhaving pieces d, of silver or platinum or the like applied thereto, asand for the purposes described.

4C. A sight for fire-arms, constructed substantially as and for thepurposes describedto Wit., with the series of graduated receding steps cat one side thereof, substantially at right angles to the axis ofthebar,with a continuous straight face at its opposite side, and withpieces of silver or platinum or the like in some of the steps, as setForth.

THOMAS GILBERT.

Vtitnesses:

G. F. REDFERN, A. ALBUT'r.

